Unfinished Business
by Passionate Cec
Summary: Post See No Evil. Sequel to The Sweet Music of Love. Later that night, Kate and Gibbs share some memories and make some unexpected discoveries about each other.


As promised, here is the companion piece to _The Sweet Music of Love. _It isn't quite a second chapter as it can almost be read as a stand alone. Also, I felt it really needed a title of its own as _The Sweet Music of Love _really wouldn't be a fit title. I wrote it as a second chapter/sequel and realized that it really didn't have much to do with the first story so I added a few details that will clearly identify this as a tag to _See No Evil_.

My muse has come to visit while I was on vacation and I have written a bunch of episode tags. Unfortunately, I haven't continued _A Coffee Story _yet. But no worries, I still have a lot of chapters before I have nothing more to post for that story. I'm not sure what I will post next; another episode tag or the next chapter to _A Coffee Story._ If you've got any preferences, please, do tell.

And, just because I don't want any trouble with anyone : NCIS, Kate, Gibbs, Kelly and Shannon Gibbs don't belong to me. I make absolutely no money with this. The sole purpose of this story is entertainement. No copyright infringement intended.

And as usual, let me know what you think about this story. Good or bad, I'm always happy to see reviews anyway.

And now, enjoy. =)

**Unfinished**** Business**

'Tell me about Shannon and Kelly.' Kate whispered.

Gibbs and her were lying on her bed, her head nestled comfortably on his shoulder, while her hand played with the fine silver hairs on his chest. One of his hands was moving up and down her arm and side while the other one was playing with the dark locks which lay on the pillow, a perfect contrast to the white sheets. He hadn't expected the question and he most likely would have bolted had anyone other than Kate been the one to ask. Her voice had been gentle and soft, her tone neither pushing nor insistent. It was just honestly curious and he could hear a hint of innocence in her request; like a little girl wanting to hear about true love.

And she had every right to be curious. His lost wife and daughter were a big part of him and on more than one occasion, Kate had been more than accepting and understanding of his life before her and of the consequences the tragic event had had for him. That day, when she had perfectly understood why he had been extremely angry at the culprit for kidnapping his beautiful wife and daughter, had been a perfect example of said understanding and comprehension.

He had, in fact, repeatedly wondered as to his luck for having this amazing woman loving him right back. He might have lost Shannon and Kelly, but he had found Kate and undoubtedly, a new life with her.

'Kelly was the liveliest child ever. She was always running around, laughing and giggling like she had discovered a huge secret that no one but her could know about. The girl had me wrapped around her little finger the second I saw her.'

'Now that's a shock.' Kate commented sarcastically, laughing slightly.

'I know, right. Shannon was the kindest and most gentle person in the world. You gals would have been great friends.'

'Yeah?'

'Yeah. I know it sounds like a cliché, but it's true. You're way tougher than her though. She was all about kids and animals and all the cute and fluffy things.'

Kate shot him a surprised and slightly mocking look as the word 'fluffy' left his mouth. That was _so _not a word that was supposed to come from a former-marine NCIS Special Agent. The simple fact that he knew it was absolutely astounding and she made the resolution she would one day find out how he had discovered about it.

'I'm having a hard time imagining you married to a woman who doesn't come after you with some kind of sports equipment.' He laughed and poked her in the ribs.

'Thanks so much for making me sound like a masochist.' It was her turn to laugh.

'Maybe you are. I did threaten to shoot you. And look where we are now.'

'Yeah, but shooting is way more radical and final.'

'It is. So, back to Shannon.'

'She tricked into getting a puppy, once.'

'What kind?' Kate asked.

Her curiosity was even more picked by the opportunity to discover another fact about her lover that seemed so out of the ordinary.

'Labrador. Beige one. As soon as we got home, the damn thing started following me everywhere I went.' Kate laughed. 'What?'

'Nothing. I'm just picturing you with a cute puppy following you everywhere.' She explained between laughs.

'Shannon said puppies are like babies; they're the best judge of character.'

'She's right.'

'Must have been. In the end, I really took to the little bugger.' Gibbs remembered with a fond smile. 'Obviously, Kelly adored him, even though he was twice her size when she was born. He was the last living reminder I had of them. We were good pals and misery companions for a long time.'

'What happened to him?'

'He died of old age a couple of years ago. He was twenty years old; that's a heck of a long life for a dog.'

'It is. We had a bunch of animals when we were kids.' Kate said, deciding that she didn't want to push Gibbs back into his bad memories. 'We had this huge house with a huge garden in a quiet little community in the middle of nowhere; it made for lots of room for kids and animals.'

'So, what did you have?'

'A couple of _big_ dogs. They were taller than me until I was about three. Two cats who elected my room as their HQ the moment we got them. About one rabbit per person living in the house and somehow, every time one died, it was immediately replaced by another. And a bird; some sort of a parrot that could say our names.'

'Oh boy.'

'Yep. Winter was no fun with eight people plus about thirteen animals of different races in the house.'

'Couldn't you leave the rabbits outside?' Kate leaned up on one elbow to look down at him, eyebrows raised.

'Ever been to Indiana in the winter?'

'Can't say that I have.' He said, leaning up to kiss her nose and lips.

'Well, believe me, it's _cold_. And by that I mean that D.C. is the tropics compared to Northern Indiana?' He laughed.

'That bad?'

'Oh yes!' She exclaimed before starting her explanation. 'February 1981; I was seven years old, so in second grade and the heat broke down at school. It was down for a week but catholic school does not take unplanned breaks. So we just had to come in wearing our skirts and take that as God's way of testing our resistance and determination. You have no idea how much I hate God that week.'

Gibbs laughed at her tale and at the pout that appeared on her face midway. She was so adorable when pulling her face that he had to lean down and kiss her once more. Not that he complained.

'Been traumatized by that week, have you?'

'It was minus five degrees, Jethro! Fahrenheit.'

'That's pretty cold.' He admitted simply, nonplussed. Kate disbelievingly stared at him.

'I'm sorry, I forgot I was talking to the guy who can sleep on a cargo plane, through a storm and who drinks coffee when it's a hundred and ten degrees.'

'It's just a habit. I'm sure you could too if you tried.'

'I'll pass.' He chuckled and kissed her head.

They both got silent for a while. Kate slowly relaxed and stopped playing with his hairs and after a while, he thought she had gone to sleep. He hugged her a bit tighter and kept on caressing her soft skin.

'Jethro?'

He almost jumped when he heard her quiet voice. She was still completely relaxed and he found it almost difficult to believe that someone this calm could be awake and talking.

'Yeah?'

'What was your dog's name?'

He tensed and Kate frowned, wondering why he would freely talk about his deceased wife and daughter but not tell her his dog's name. It seemed odd that the latter would cause him more trouble.

'You don't want to know.'

'Yes, I do.'

'No, you don't.' She poked his ribs. Hard. 'Hey!' He looked down at her. She glared back, a threatening finger facing his ribs. 'Oh, alright, but don't you go telling me I didn't warn you.'

'Jethro.'

'Todd.'

'What?' She asked confused. _Why the hell would he use her surname when in bed?_

'The dog. His name was Todd.'

'Seriously?'

'Yes.'

'You named your dog Todd?'

'Yes.' And surprisingly, she laughed.

'Just don't let my dad find out about that. I still have some unfinished business with you;' She teasingly and tauntingly stated.

'Oh, believe me, Katie, no one has as much unfinished business as I do with you.' He leaned down and dropped a kiss to her slightly parted lips.

'Yeah?' She breathily asked. 'Show me?' She teased, their lips still touching.

'Hell yes.'

* * *

A.N : Little bit of information about this : unless stated otherwise, I always consider characters to be the same age as the actors (same birthday as well). As Sasha Alexander is said to be born on May 17th 1973 (or 75; no one really knows) she would in fact be seven years old on February 1981.

Also, since Kelly was apparently eight in 1991, she has to be born in 1983. So in my mind's eye, Todd arrived into the Gibbs' household in 1982. Which would make him about twenty in 2002, one year before NCIS started; two years before _See No Evil._

Okay, I'm done.

Don't forget to leave a little reading for me on your way out. =D


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